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Make me a Servant

Make  Me a Servant:

 

Introduction:

 

First sermon at Antioch - I pray that this sermon will set the tempo for what I hope to be at Antioch,  and what this Church is and will be  in the future for this community.

 

My sermon this morning is simply "Make Me a Servant.”

 

Song which underscores this sermon:

 

Make me a servant, Lord make me like You, for You are a servant, make me one too, make me a servant, do what you must do, to make me a servant, Lord make me like You.

 

No where else in all of God’s word do we see the act of servant hood more clearly than in John 13 as Jesus washes the feet of the disciples.

 

Scripture:

John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean” 12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 

Jesus the servant:

 

Historically speaking one of the lowest servants would wash the feet of the people attending a banquet/dinner:

·         Customary (A host was expected to provide this service for his guests)

·         Dirtiness from being out and about

·         Reclining at the table – Proximity of others peoples feet to the food, and to you.

·         When there is no one to do this job, Jesus takes the towel and the basin, and he does what no one else will do.

·         This job is not too low for Jesus. Jesus sets an example of serving others.

o       Peter doesn’t want to be served. (Peter often opens his mouth and gets in trouble – walk on water, I’ll never deny you, you’re not going to die, etc.)

o       Peter misunderstands the lesson that Jesus is teaching.

 

Jesus Serves Everyone:

 

Jesus even washed Judas’ feet the very night that he would betray him.

·         Shows Jesus’ love

·         Was a plea to Judas to change his mind.

 

Jesus’ example should be an inspiration to us:

 

John 13:14 – You also ought to wash one another's feet.

 

·         Jesus’ whole life was a life of service.

o       Associated with prostitutes, tax collectors, and outcasts.

o       Healed the sick.

o       Touched the untouchables.

o       Fed multitudes.

 

·         As a Church we ought to wash one another’s feet.

o       Opportunities abound.

·         People who need encouragement.

·         People who need a visit, a call, a card.

·         People who just need someone to listen/take time for them.

 

·               We as a Church should wash the feet of others.

·         While Jesus spent a lot of time with His disciple, He also made time for others.

·         When Jesus left this earth, he left us our marching order – Go. How will people come to know Jesus?

o       People will come to know Jesus when they see him in our lives.

o       There are five gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Christian – most people never read the first four.

o       People don’t care how much you know until they see how much you care. 




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